CME Sit-Down with Valentino Khan

Valentino Khan is on his way and is all set for his first tour of India while we are trying to contain our excitement as we are now just hours away from witnessing him live! His tour of India kicks off today in Mumbai at Playboy followed by Delhi, Pune & Bangalore. Although tickets are currently on sale they are selling out fast so we suggest that you better hurry and grab yours before they do. We got a chance to have a chat with the man himself and asked him a few questions about touring, Avicii and a lot more that you can check out below.

Tell us a bit about what your life, how was it before being the Valentino Khan that you are known all over the world as today.

I was just a kid who loved sports, and loved music especially. I found a way to express myself through making music and making beats. I started out making rap beats, and then eventually found out about dance music and just kept making it, got better and better and here I am today.

How did you start off your career? What would you say was the big breakthrough that got you to where you are today?

I started out producing for rappers like T.I. and 2 Chainz, and then my brother introduced me to dance music when he told me about Justice. I kept making music and eventually learned how to DJ and just kept meeting new people that had a genuine appreciation for my music and helped me along the way. I built a strong fan base, which is definitely a huge reason why I’m where I am today. If there was ever a breakthrough track for me, it was probably Deep Down Low but I keep building on the success of each previous track and I’m happy about that.

OWSLA and now Mad Decent has been a huge part of your career. What is it like being a part of what many of us consider to be one of the best labels in the dance music industry?

It’s great to work with labels like OWSLA and Mad Decent because I think they’re very versatile and they believe in my sound as an artist. It goes a long way when you don’t feel boxed in, and I always appreciate partners that support that mentality.

What are your views on the rising drug problems at music festivals and concerts?

I think we have to provide better education for the people attending these concerts, and always have people onsite that can provide adequate support and medical attention when issues arise.

Where do you see electronic dance music heading in the next 5 years?

I have no idea where it’s going to head in the next five years, and that’s what’s most exciting about it. One of the craziest things about this world is that you can’t tell where it’s going to be in the next five years, you can’t even tell where it’s going to be in the next six months. I think that forces me to constantly innovate and do my own thing, rather than chase trends.

In recent times especially since Avicii’s tragic passing away we have had a few artists come out and talk about touring and how it can get a bit too much sometimes. Have you ever found the whole touring and producing thing a bit too much? How do you manage all of that?

It definitely can be hectic at times. I do think we need to create more awareness for mental health, not just in our industry but in the world overall. I think we need to remove the stigma that reaching out for help makes you some sort of weak person, it’s just as important as physical health. In the space I’m in, it does get tough to manage it all sometimes but you have to be in tune with your body mentally and physically and be able to have an honest dialogue with yourself.

What’s the one advice that you’d give to all those who want to make a name for themselves in the dance music industry?

The one piece of advice I give to anyone starting out is to be original and work your ass off. You want to stand out and push music forward, but at the same time it’s still a job and you’re not going to achieve your goals without the hard work that’s necessary.

What are your expectations for your first tour of India?

I think the first thing that stands out to me is the love that I’ve gotten on social media from people from India, so I’m definitely expecting the fans to be really passionate and go hard at all these shows. That’s really what I love when I’m performing, to watch the reactions of the crowds and see that they’re having a good time and have a good time in return.

Your fans would love to know what you have in store for them some exciting new collabs perhaps?

I’m working on a bunch of new music! I’m working on a collab with Kayzo, a collab with GTA. There’s a lot of new things that I’m trying to wrap up before the fall, but I’ll be playing all of these new tracks at the shows.

A message for your fans in India?

I just want to tell you guys thank you for supporting me, and thank you for patiently waiting for me to get over there and play all these shows. I’m excited that I’m coming and I can’t wait to see all of you guys.